In emotional meeting, the 73 year old tearfully tells fellow wrestling legends he had a partner for 40 years.
World Wrestling Entertainment star Pat Patterson has come out publicly as a gay man at the age of 73.
During a roundtable conversation with fellow wrestling legends, Patterson said: For once in my life I'm going to be me. I survived all of this (career) being gay.'
He wiped away tears and other wrestlers did too as he revealed a side of himself they had not been aware of.
'I lived with that for 50-some years,' he said.
And for most of those years, he was not alone.
'I had a friend with me for 40 years and I lost him because he had a heart attack and I end up alone,' he said through tears. 'It's tough guys. It was tough.'
Patterson added: 'I gave my life to the business, I don't regret nothing. And for the rest of my life, I want to be happy.'
Patterson retired from wrestling in 1984 and and became a television commentator and interviewer.
He began working backstage as a road agent and right-hand man to promoter Vince McMahon. In the late 1990s, Patterson also worked in the talent-relations department and worked as a referee after retiring.
